Nut plate-lock



(No Model.)

J. M. MATTER.

NUT PLATE LUCK.

No. 600,157. Patented Ma.1.8,1898.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.A

JAMES M. MATTER, OF HALIFAX, PENNSYLVANIA.

NUT PLATE-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,157, dated March 8, 1898.

Application iiled July 2,1897. Serial No. 643,225. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. MATTER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at I-Ialisame, reference being had to the accompanyv ing drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in nut-locks, and especially to a side nut-lock in which angle iishplates are employed which have apertures through which the bolts are designed to pass, and the provision of an auxiliary or nut-locking plate having, preferably', square apertures adapted to receive the nuts on the said bolts after they have been screwed to the fish-plate, the said plate being adapted to prevent the nut from loosening on the threads of the retaining-bolt, and, in connection with the said plate, of a suitable means for holding the nut-locking plate to the sh-plate, whereby the said nut-locking plate may be quickly and easily removed.

More specifically the invention resides in the provision of suitable springs which are held on the outer bolts of a rail-joint connection, the said springs being made preferably from a piece of resilient metal having one end designed to engage with the said nutlocking plate in order to hold the same over the nuts and against the outer faces of the sh-plates, the free end of the spring-retainers being adapted to be turned over the longitudinal edges of the said nut retaining plate in order to allow the removal of the same when it is desired to remove the nuts from the retaining-bolts, a sufficient play being allowed the said plate to allow for an expansion of the iron in the rails, as may be occasioned by changes of temperature.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain, the same consists, further, in the novel construction, combination, and adaptation of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

My invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this application, and in which drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a railjoint, showing my improved manner of retaining the nut-locking washers to the fishplates. Fig. 2 is a detail view with a portion broken away to better illustrate the manner of attachment of my plate-locking spring. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the locking-spring. Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the rail, ish-plate, vnut-lock plate, and retaining member.

Reference being now had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the ends of ordinary railway-rails, and B B are angled fish-plates of ordinary construction, which are recessed on their inner faces longitudinally and provided with apertures which are designed to register with apertures in the webs of the said rails and through which retaining-bolts C are adapted to be passed and secured by means of nuts D, thereby retaining the iish-plates securely to the ends of the rails, as is common in the art. In order to prevent the nuts on the said bolts from becoming loosened, as is frequently the case on railway-rails, the usual side nut-lock plate E is employed. This plate E is provided with rectangular apertures E of a size slightly larger than the area of the face of the nut and are slightly elongated for the purpose of allowing a slight longitudinal movement to the connected ends of the rails to compensate for an expansion which might take place in the iron under certain conditions.

In ord er to retain the said nut-locking plate in position and at the same time produce a means for allowing it to be readily removed as occasion may require, in order to remove the sh-plates or for any other purpose, I provide a novel locking means,wliich consists of a piece of resilient wire F,which is provided with a loop or eye F,which is designed to register with the apertures in the fish-plates and the web of the railway-rail and to receive the IOO bolt as it is passed through the said registering apertures, the shank of the said lockingwire being disposed in the longitudinal recessed portion on the inner face of one of the fish-plates. The said locking-wire is adapted to be coiled, as at F2, and its free end bent slightly outward and thence in a plane parallel to its shank portion, and the said free end is adapted to engage over the end of the said nut-locking plate in order to retain it in position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that lche locking-Wire will be allowed a slight vertical movement on the outer bolt as a pivot, and may be raised a suiiieient height to allow its free end to clear the upper longitudinal edge of the locking-plate when it is desired to remove the said plate, or if under any modified form of the recess the said spring-wire should not be allowed to be raised a sufficient height to clear the upper edge the resilience of the said wire willreadilyadmit of its being turned so as to clear the upper edge of the said plate.

Having thus described my invention,what

I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In combination with the rails, angle lishplates and retaining-bolts and nuts thereon, the nut-locking plates having rectangularshaped apertures designed to lit over the said nuts and allow of a longitudinal movement to the said locking-plate, the resilient plateretaining wires, each having an eye at one of its ends adapted to engage over a retaining-bolt, the shank portion of the wire being coiled and its free end bent at right angles in two directions and designed to engage over the outer face of the said nut-locking plate, and allowed a vertical play in the recessed portion of the fish-plate, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. MATTER.

lVitnesses:

A. L. HOUGH, W. CLARENCE DUvALL. 

